Cathedral leader among trustees to serve another term at ‘at-risk’ heritage fund

Three National Heritage Memorial Fund trustees have been reappointed for four-year terms by Prime Minister KEIR STARMER.

Among those retaining their board positions at the non-departmental public body is the author and journalist JULIAN GLOVER, who is chair of the Midlands and East Committee.

Gover is a former associate editor of the London Evening Standard and a columnist and reporter for the Guardian, as well as the author of a biography of Thomas Telford.

With experience working with the government, Glover previously led the Landscapes Review for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and has served as a special advisor to both Number 10 and the Department for Transport.

A heritage professional with a background in both charities and the public sector, CAROL PYRAH is chair of the fund’s North Committee.

Since December 2024, she has been chief operating officer at Ripon Cathedral. Before this, she was the chief executive of Urban Green Newcastle, an independent charity that manages the city’s 33 parks and 60 allotment sites, and the executive director of Historic Coventry Trust.

Chair of the London and South Committee, TARYN NIXON is an archaeologist and independent heritage management adviser who, from 1997 to 2016, was the chief executive of Museum of London Archaeology.

She has published on the contribution that archaeology and heritage make to economic growth, regeneration, and social cohesion, and was awarded an OBE for services to archaeology and heritage in the King’s Birthday Honours in 2025.

She is also a former chair of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists.

Founded in 1980, the National Heritage Memorial Fund is an arms-length body set up to provide grants to help preserve some of the UK’s heritage at risk of loss. The re-appointees are remunerated at £20,749 per annum.